klmno
Active Member
I rec'd a message yesterday from the therapist who's supposed to give my psychiatric evaluation- she was confirming the appointment made by mst guy. After I called and left another message for gal today, I got a call from mst guy again. He asked if I was going to get this psychiatric evaluation. Now, I don't think I'm so paranoid that I don't see this starting to add up. This was the third person today who intiated a conversation about this evaluation and I noticed that everyone in the county seemed to stop communicating with me about anything other than that. It seemed apparent that they are using the threat of custody being taken away if I don't do whatever they want- although NO ONE said that directly. From what others are saying, that seems too similar to be conincidence, they think that our household is so dysfunctional that it is coming out in difficult child's illegal actions and they think the dysfunction is a result of my and difficult child personal issues triggering each other. Now, this is where we disagree. I agree that things are dysfunctional and that difficult child and I sometimes have issues. But, I think they are totally ignoring the other stressors that are contributing to things. And I'm talking about things that far exceed what typical families have to deal with- for one, difficult child and I both feel like we are living with an ax hanging over our heads with no deadline for it or any end in site. We both have discussed the stress this causes us with our individual tdocs. difficult child didn't tell me this- his therapist did.
Anyway, I did actually discuss these things with the mst guy and relay that I'm already seeing a therapist so I didn't really see the point of having an evaluation done to determine if I needed to see one. We discussed who was sending what message to difficult child and I said I didn't know yet what I was going to do but it appeared to be a moot point to me if the gal wanted difficult child removed from home. My half-bro lives far away- it isn't a situation where he would go there temporarily while we work thru things until he came back home. He would never come back home, until he's 18 and could come on his own.
Anyway, the mst guy said that the dr had recommended the MMPI-2 test for me but since I was seeing a therapist already, if she would/could give it, then the judge would probably find that acceptable if I requested it ahead of time. He said no one knew that I was seeing a therapist already. I said they should have asked instead of assumed. He asked then what was my issue with taking the test. I said for one, the message it sends to difficult child given why we are in court. Second, I'm not so comfortable with one test leading to a treatment plan that will ultimately be court ordered. Thirdly, although I believe the judge has the best intentions and wants to make sure things are followed through with, what it leads to is a PO being in the middle of it all and me being in therapy thinking about every word I say potentially being said in a court room full of people instead of thinking about working through issues.
Also, difficult child and I both are having to deal with a lot of stress right now and while they all want to make sure our issues are being dealt with, adding more orders, that are really more demands, that lead to a bigger ax being held over our heads, is contributing a great deal to the problem. It seems like they keep adding more and more with no end in site- why can't they see that maybe that's WHY this isn't working out better-and they never once stop to think that maybe they are having something to do with everything in our lives deteriorating.
He said I had a lot to think about. LOL! I told him that at some point, I had to tell them "enough". And I might just have to tell the judge that while I respect her opinion and authority, I'm willing to take the consequences. Otherwise, it just leads to more and more and quite frankly, I have bigger things to worry about- like difficult child and where he's going to live. If they believe I'm the cause of the problem- this will never end any other way, test or no test.
Then, shortly afterwards, the person from sd called me back about who pays for education at Residential Treatment Center (RTC). She thinks it is the sd. That is perfect if it's true. She's going to call me tomorrow to confirm. She knows I'll need something in writing. If I get medicaid funding confirmed (it depends on type of medicaid and that couldn't change until difficult child was out of home 30 days- I need to confirm it can "change" without having to start process over)- and sd pays for education, then the ONLY thing the county team would have to do is look at the recommendation from psychiatrist and fill out a couple of forms. It would be a parental placement- but I'd need PO to request the meeting, apparently. I would think the GAL would push for this then, unless she's just determined to get difficult child out of the house instead of using that as a threat to manipulate me. So, what happens if I get the medicaid and education funding in place and only need paperwork from the county team- can I go to court, and in front of judge and gal, ask po to request a county team meeting to get this paperwork done? Is that antagonistic or will she have to say yes or no?
Anyway, earlier, psychiatrist wants to make some medication changes (adding seroquel for one
). I said I had a couple of concerns, I heard the county lady snicker- like I was going to be uncooperative. I asked that they make one change at a time so that any reaction could be easily nailed down to the exact medication and dosage, because difficult child had a history of being very reactive to medications. Also, I relayed my concern and "proceed with caution" on the antihistamine that they proposed as prn, due to difficult child's reactions to most allergy medications, albuterol, and steroids. County lady was quiet through that. psychiatrist said he didn't think this was hypomaina but difficult child was very irritable and was having trouble sleeping and had asked for medication changes. I agreed to the changes with the above notes. psychiatrist said right now, he's leading toward this being anxiety driven, given the circumstances, and because he wasn't seeing pressured speech and real hyperness. (Can someone take note here that this anxiety difficult child is exhibiting is due to instability left by court, which resulted from his own actions and more pressure, and that he is NOT in my presence or at our home.)
I think this is good that county lady could hear psychiatrist debating this (depression/anxiety or bipolar), and also the issue of medication changes and possiible side effects and difficult child's behavior/trouble sleeping. I wish the gal was in on these meetings and worry a little about a gal who's pulling the weight with the judge having to be begged almost to attend a county meeting and never participates or listens in on treatment team meetings, but calls in dss.
Anyway, I did actually discuss these things with the mst guy and relay that I'm already seeing a therapist so I didn't really see the point of having an evaluation done to determine if I needed to see one. We discussed who was sending what message to difficult child and I said I didn't know yet what I was going to do but it appeared to be a moot point to me if the gal wanted difficult child removed from home. My half-bro lives far away- it isn't a situation where he would go there temporarily while we work thru things until he came back home. He would never come back home, until he's 18 and could come on his own.
Anyway, the mst guy said that the dr had recommended the MMPI-2 test for me but since I was seeing a therapist already, if she would/could give it, then the judge would probably find that acceptable if I requested it ahead of time. He said no one knew that I was seeing a therapist already. I said they should have asked instead of assumed. He asked then what was my issue with taking the test. I said for one, the message it sends to difficult child given why we are in court. Second, I'm not so comfortable with one test leading to a treatment plan that will ultimately be court ordered. Thirdly, although I believe the judge has the best intentions and wants to make sure things are followed through with, what it leads to is a PO being in the middle of it all and me being in therapy thinking about every word I say potentially being said in a court room full of people instead of thinking about working through issues.
Also, difficult child and I both are having to deal with a lot of stress right now and while they all want to make sure our issues are being dealt with, adding more orders, that are really more demands, that lead to a bigger ax being held over our heads, is contributing a great deal to the problem. It seems like they keep adding more and more with no end in site- why can't they see that maybe that's WHY this isn't working out better-and they never once stop to think that maybe they are having something to do with everything in our lives deteriorating.
He said I had a lot to think about. LOL! I told him that at some point, I had to tell them "enough". And I might just have to tell the judge that while I respect her opinion and authority, I'm willing to take the consequences. Otherwise, it just leads to more and more and quite frankly, I have bigger things to worry about- like difficult child and where he's going to live. If they believe I'm the cause of the problem- this will never end any other way, test or no test.
Then, shortly afterwards, the person from sd called me back about who pays for education at Residential Treatment Center (RTC). She thinks it is the sd. That is perfect if it's true. She's going to call me tomorrow to confirm. She knows I'll need something in writing. If I get medicaid funding confirmed (it depends on type of medicaid and that couldn't change until difficult child was out of home 30 days- I need to confirm it can "change" without having to start process over)- and sd pays for education, then the ONLY thing the county team would have to do is look at the recommendation from psychiatrist and fill out a couple of forms. It would be a parental placement- but I'd need PO to request the meeting, apparently. I would think the GAL would push for this then, unless she's just determined to get difficult child out of the house instead of using that as a threat to manipulate me. So, what happens if I get the medicaid and education funding in place and only need paperwork from the county team- can I go to court, and in front of judge and gal, ask po to request a county team meeting to get this paperwork done? Is that antagonistic or will she have to say yes or no?
Anyway, earlier, psychiatrist wants to make some medication changes (adding seroquel for one
). I said I had a couple of concerns, I heard the county lady snicker- like I was going to be uncooperative. I asked that they make one change at a time so that any reaction could be easily nailed down to the exact medication and dosage, because difficult child had a history of being very reactive to medications. Also, I relayed my concern and "proceed with caution" on the antihistamine that they proposed as prn, due to difficult child's reactions to most allergy medications, albuterol, and steroids. County lady was quiet through that. psychiatrist said he didn't think this was hypomaina but difficult child was very irritable and was having trouble sleeping and had asked for medication changes. I agreed to the changes with the above notes. psychiatrist said right now, he's leading toward this being anxiety driven, given the circumstances, and because he wasn't seeing pressured speech and real hyperness. (Can someone take note here that this anxiety difficult child is exhibiting is due to instability left by court, which resulted from his own actions and more pressure, and that he is NOT in my presence or at our home.)I think this is good that county lady could hear psychiatrist debating this (depression/anxiety or bipolar), and also the issue of medication changes and possiible side effects and difficult child's behavior/trouble sleeping. I wish the gal was in on these meetings and worry a little about a gal who's pulling the weight with the judge having to be begged almost to attend a county meeting and never participates or listens in on treatment team meetings, but calls in dss.
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